Crupper-fastener for harness.



Y J. E. VARNUM. GRUPPER FASTENER FOR HARNES$.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1,1908.

899,576. Patented Sept. 29, 1908.

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JAMES E. VARNUM, or ELDON, IOWA.

GRUPPER-FASTENER FOR HARNESS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 29, 1908.

Application filed June 1, 1908. Serial No. 435,928.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES E. VARNUM, a citizen of the United States, residin at Eldon, in the county of Wapello and tate of Iowa, have invented a certain new and useful Crupper-Fastener for Harness, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a fastening device of simple, durable and inexpensive construction, designed to be applied to one side of the loop of a crupper strap for harness, whereby the operator may readily and easily pass the strap around the horses tail and then secure the ends of the crupper strap together quickly and easily, and further to provide a device of this class that, when connected, will be firmly and immovably held in position and yet may be readily, quickly and easily detached when desired.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which I Figure 1 shows a top or plan view of a crupper strap embodying my invention. Fig. 2 shows an edge view of same. Fig. 3 shows a top or plan view of the fastening device, and Fig. 4 shows an edge view of same.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, I have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate the loop portion of the crupper strap. This is preferably maderou'nd in cross section at its rear portion. The portion of the crupper strap that connects with the back strap is indicated by the numeral 11 and is preferably made fiat of two layers of leather. This strap is divided into two parts which diverge from each other and which connect at theirrear ends with the part 10, said parts being indicated by the numerals 12 and 13, respectively. The part 13 is separated at a point adjacent to the part 11, and my improved fastening device is applied at this 7 point. The upper layer of leather is so arranged that the adjacent ends touch each other at the joint and the lower layer is cut away at 14 for purposes hereinafter made clear.

In order to detachably connect the parts, I provide two plates, one of them, indicated by the numeral 15, being provided with a slot 16 adjacent to its end and with a row of perforations 17 at its center. This plate 15 is inserted between the upper and lower layers of the part 13 adjacent to the part 11, and the slotted end projects into the space between the adjacent ends of the lower layer of leather. The row of openings 17 extends from a point spaced apart from the slot to the other end of the plate and a row of stitches 18 is extended through these openings 17 and through both the upper and lower layers of the straps. This leaves the end of the upper strap free to move slightly relative to the lower layer. Attached to the opposite end of the strap 13 is a plate 20 having a hook 21 at one end designed to enter the slot 16. The plate is also provided with a row of perforations 22, through which a row of stitches 23 is extended,-which stitches also run through both layers of leather. The said hook is preferably extended beyond the end of the strap to which it is connected, so that the hook may enter the slot 16 and lie wholly between the adjacent ends of the lower layer of leather as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

In practical use, the hook is first detache from the slotted plate and then the crupper strap is placed in position around the horses tail. Then the end of the strap 13, containing the hook, is bent to position at an acute angle relative to the strap that contains the plate 15, whereupon the loose end 19 may be 'forced'upwardly far enough to permit the hook to enter the slot. Then the two ends of the strap may be moved to position in line with each other and the device will be firmly and securely held in position. By having the ortion 19 of the strap arranged to cover the liook, it is obvious that the hook will be protected and will not become entangled with the hairs of the horses tail, and by having the lower layer of the strap arranged with a space between the ends, the hook may lie in this space and will be thereby concealed and protected.

- In order to remove the harness, it is only necessary for the operator to grasp the part of the strap containing the plate 20 and bend it to an acute angle relative to the other part of the strap and then push it upwardly to thereby release the hook from the slot. Obviously, this may be done even if the operator has heavy gloves on his hands, as it is not necessary for him to grasp the small ends of straps or to manipulate buckles as is the case with the crupper fastening devices now in use;

I claim as my invention.

A device of the class described, comprising a fiat strap formed of an upper and lower layer of leather, said strap being divided into two parts at its rear end, and one of said parts being severed transversely, a loop connecting the rear ends of said parts,- the severed part having the upper layer of leather arranged with its ends capable of engaging each other, and the lower layer of leather being cut away to form a space between the ends, a fiat metal plate sewed between the layers of one part and provided with a slot at one end, the upper layer above said slot being disconnected from the plate, so that it may be easily bent upwardly away from the plate, and a flat plate sewed between the layers of the other end and projected into the space between the ends of the lower layer of leather, and a hook formed on said projecting end and designed to enter the slot for connecting said parts,

said hook being so shaped that when the two ends of the strap are in line it cannot become detached, but may be readily detached when the ends of the strap are arranged at acute angles relative to each other.

- Des Moines, Iowa, May 15, 1908.

i JAMES E. VARNUM. l/Vitnesses:

R. D. BALDWIN, ADELBERT CnRIsTY. 

